“Our word is as good as anybody’s.  If they say they found us at Mike Sherry’s we can say that we found them there, too.  For all we know they were drinking below before they came up.”

“That’s it!” interrupted Lew Flapp, thinking he saw a way of implicating Dick and Powell.  “Mike Sherry never lets anybody in his saloon without they drink something.”

“It’s as plain as day,” came from Rockley.

“They had all the liquor they wanted before they came up, and now they want to stop our sport.”

“Your story might be believed were it not for one thing,” said Dick, trying to keep calm.  “Come on, Harry, come, Joe.”  And he whispered something into their ears.

“Oh, all right,” said Harry Moss, and he retreated from the room, speedily followed by Joe Davis.

“Hi! come back here, you young scamps!” roared Lew Flapp.  And then he made for the doorway leading to the next room.

“Not so fast, Flapp!” said Dick, and blocked the opening with his own form, while Powell stood directly behind.

“Say, fellows, Moss and Davis are getting out of the window!” cried Flapp, in astonishment.

“That’s the way Rover and Powell must have gotten in,” came from Pender.

“Exactly,” answered Dick, “and that proves we didn’t have to stop below for liquor,” he added triumphantly.

“Look here, I don’t mean to let those fellows go yet,” blustered Lew Flapp.  “Let me get at them.”

“Not to-night, Flapp.”

Scarcely had Dick spoken when the tall boy flung himself forward.  The pair grappled, and a moment later both went down, with Dick on top.

“Hit him, Dick, don’t let him get the best of you!” cried Powell, and an instant later found himself tackled by Pender and Jackson.  For the moment Ben Hurdy, who had remained silent during the most of the talk, did nothing, but then he ran forward, and watching his chance, kicked Dick in the side of the head with his foot.

The quarrel was now on in earnest, and in the midst of the melee a burly waiter came rushing from below, demanding to know what was the matter.

“A pair of spies!” shouted Pender.  “Help us to give them a sound thrashing, Pat.”

“Sure, Oi will that!” was the answer, and the waiter joined in the attack on Dick and Powell.

It was with a mighty effort that Powell managed to throw off his assailants.  Then he leaped for the window, reached the ladder, and fairly slid to the ground.

“Let up on Dick Rover!” he called, when safe.  “If you don’t, I’ll rouse the constable and have somebody locked up.”

“Confound him!” muttered Rockley.  “We had better dust out.  If he calls a constable the jig will be up.”

With a parting kick at Dick he rushed down the back stairs to the resort, and unlocked the door.  Taking care that Powell should not see him, he darted into the gathering darkness.

Ben Hurdy followed Rockley, and a moment later Pender and Jackson did the same.  Then Flapp came staggering down the stairs, holding his nose, from which the blood was flowing freely.